With the help of God, we will.

Last weekend we had our youngest son baptised. I found the service overwhelmingly powerful as our family, friends and church family joined with us to welcome our son into the Christian faith. After the Vicar had baptised him, he said these words:

Christ claims you for his own. Receive the sign of the cross. Do not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified.

The congregation then joins in: fight valiantly as a disciple of Christ against sin, the world and the devil, and remain faithful to Christ to the end of your life.

Powerful words right? And a lot to ask of a 6 month old! Except, it has dawned on me as I've reflected on this over the last week, that these words, although a prayer for my son throughout his life, are also directed at me. Because how else is my son going to know how to be a disciple of Christ other than through the example of his parents?

I am aware that I'm only human and that there are many many times when I will not show my children what it means to be a good disciple, and for those times I am grateful for God's love and His grace that is much more far reaching than needing to rely only on me to do His work. However, I took a vow during that baptism service: to pray for my son, draw him by my example into the community of faith and help him to take his place within the life and worship of the church. 

So just going to church on a Sunday isn't enough then, I guess! Maybe taking him to church on a Sunday and a couple of Christian toddler groups during the week? Or maybe God is calling me, and all of us who are Christian parents, to really live out our faith in a way that our children pick up on. Maybe He is calling us to pray unceasingly for our children, that they may be protected from the evil in this world and grow up knowing the love of their Heavenly Father as well as that of their earthly mother and father. Maybe He is calling us to understand the huge responsibility He places on us when He gives His precious children into our care.

And maybe God is calling on us to call on Him for help and guidance in fulfilling the roles he has placed us in. As we seek to raise our children in ways that are pleasing to God, we do so knowing that we are not alone, but that we have God with us; the greatest example of a Father there ever is.